Safety device for hoisting mechanisms.



PATENTED AUG 8, 1905.

v w. COOPER. SAFETY DEVICE FOR HOISTING MECHANISMS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29. 1904.

' m mw W44 UNITED STATES,

l/VlLLIAM COOPER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR HOI'STING MECHANISMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Original application filed May 5, 1904:, Serial No, 206,432- Divided and this application filed August 29, 1904. Serial No. 222,496.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM (JooPnR, a citizen 0f the United States, residing at the city of Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Hoisting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of my invention applied to a mine-shaft, showing the shaft-doors open. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the operatingdoors, showing the arrangement of cranks. Fig. 3 is a broken plan view of the other operating-door, and Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 1 on a reduced scale and showing the shaft-doors closed.

My invention, generally stated, consists in new and useful means for automatically closing the mouth of a shaft or hoistway. In the use of hoistingmechanism it is a not unusual accident for control to be lost over the hoisting mechanism, so that the cable is wound up rapidly and the bucket or other hoist is drawn up into the sheave, wrecking the same and precipitating the contents of the hoist down the shaft. This has frequently occurred, attended with great loss of life and property.

My invention provides for means of closing the shaft-mouth in such cases, so that nothing falls back down the shaft. The operating means which 1 provide is also capable of being connected with the hoisting mechanism, so that not only may the shaft-mouth be closed, but the hoisting mechanism may be immediately stopped.

This application is a division of my application filed May 5, 1904, Serial No. 206,4:32.

The following is a detaileddescription of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a section of a mine-shaft, 2 the floor of the shaft-room, and 3 is the hoisting-receptacle, which in this case has been shown as a bucket; but it will be understood that any convenient form of receptacle or cage may be used, as desired.

4 is the cable, attached to bucket 3 and passing up over sheave 5, journaled in the gallowsframe (not shown) to the hoisting mechanism. (Also not shown.)

6 6 are the shaft-doors, which are provided with hinge-rods 7 7 rigid thereto, by means of which they are suitably journaled to the floor of the shaft-house. 8 8. are counterbalances attached to said doors to facilitate the opening and shutting thereof. Said doors are shown as shutting in an inclined position instead of flat; but either position may be adopted, as desired.

9 9 are cranks rigidly attached to adjacent extremities of rods 7 7.

10 10 are operating-doors, which are provided with rigidly-attached hinge-rods 11 11,

which are in turn journaled, as at 12 12, to

of operating-doors 1O 10 are cut away, as at 15 15, to allow the passage of the cable 4: and the hand of the miner who might be riding in the bucket, who would in such case clasp the cable with one hand to steady himself.

16 16 are cranks rigidly attached to rods 11 11 and provided at their outer ends with wrist-pins 17 17, which engage the longitudinal slots 18 18 in the upper extremities of connecting-rods 19 19, whose lower extremities are in turn pivotally connected to the outer extremities of cranks 9 9. It is evident, therefore, that, assuming that the shaftdoors 6 6 are in the open position shown in Fig. 1, the passage of bucket 3 up through the operating-doors 10 10, throwing them into the open position shown in Fig. 4, would cause cranks 16 16 to be depressed, thereby depressing connecting-rods 19 19, which in turn depress cranks 9 9, thus closing the shaftdoors 6 6. However, if the operating-doors 1010 be closed the same does not likewise open the shaft-doors 6 6, as the slots 18 18 in rods 19 19 permit the cranks 9 9 to be raised to the position shown in Fig. 1 without raising the cranks 16 16.

20 is a guide of any suitable design (shown in form of a truncated cone) whereby the ascending bucket, whatever may be its rate of speed, is guided into perfect contact with the doors 10 10. Said guide may be conveniently attached to the gallows frame or support.

21 is a crank rigidly attached to one extremity of the rod 11 of one of the operatingdoors 10, by means of which is pivotally attached connecting-rod 22, which may be connected with means for controlling the hoisting mechanism, (not shown,) so that the operating of the doors 10 10 will not only close the shaft-doors, but also stop the hoisting mechanism.

In the drawings I have shown the shaft and operating doors arranged to incline toward each other when closed; but it is evident that, if desired, either or both pair might be arranged to close flat, if desired. I have also shown both the operating and shaft doors arranged in pairs; but it is evident that one door could be substituted in either case. I do not limit myself to doors either to close the shaft-mouth or to actuate such closing means; but any device may be used for that purpose which answers the general principles of my invention.

My invention may be applied not only to vertical shafts or hoistways, but also to slopemines or similar cases where hoisting power is used. In such case the operating means for closing the shaft-mouth Would be located without the shaft a suitable distance, intersecting the line of movement of the hoisting means, be it bucket, skip, cage, or car.

It is evident from the above that my invention consists in a very useful safety means for mining and kindred purposes and may effect a great saving of property and life in time of accident. Its operation is simple, as is its structure, and also very certain.

What I desire to claim is 1. In hoist-shafts, a receptacle adapted to move in said shaft, a vertically-swinging door adapted to normally close the mouth of said shaft, a vertically-swinging member located above the mouth of said shaft in the path of said receptacle and intercepting substantially the entire width of said path and means whereby the thrusting aside of said member by the ascending receptacle operates to close said door, substantially as described.

2. In hoist-shafts, a receptacle adapted to move in said shaft, a vertically-swinging door adapted to normally close the mouth of said shaft, a crank carried by said door, a vertically swinging member located above the mouth of said shaft in the path of said receptacle and a rod connecting said crank and said member whereby the thrusting aside of said member by the ascending receptacle operates to close said door, substantially as described.

3. In hoist-shafts, a receptacle adapted to move in said shaft, a vertically-swinging door adapted to normally close the mouth of said shaft, a crank rigidly attached to said door, a vertically-swinging member located above the mouth of said shaft and in the path of the ascending receptacle, a second crank rigidly attached to said member and a rod connecting said cranks, substantially as described.

4:. In hoist-shafts, a receptacle adapted to move in said shaft, a pair of vertically-swinging doors adapted to normally close the mouth of said shaft, a pair of vertically-swinging members located above the mouth of said shaft in the path of said ascending receptacle, operative connection between said members and connecting means between said members and said doors whereby the thrusting aside of said members by the ascending receptacle closes said doors.

5. In hoist-shafts, a receptacle adapted to move in said shaft, a pair of vertically-swinging doors adapted to normally close the mouth of said shaft, a pair of vertically-swinging members located above the mouth of said shaft in the path of said ascending receptacle, a guide extending downwardly from the position of said members to bring said receptacle into operative engagement therewith, operative connection between said members and connecting means between said members and said doors whereby the thrusting aside of said members by the ascending receptacle closes said doors.

Signed at Georgetown this 22d day of August, 1904:.

WILLIAM COOPER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES J. NIoHoLAs, ANNIE D. JoNEs. 

